The Hackathon Phenomenon

date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +000

"Service Quality and Competition in the U.S. Down-hill Ski Industry"

This paper illustrates the importance of the role of land constraints in a model explaining the effect of real income and transportation cost on long-run lift-ticket prices and lift capacity in a competitive two-sector ski industry. The model also explains large endogenous increases in lift capacity and real prices over time in response to an increase in real skier income despite a static number of skier-days per year. This approach, thus, has points in common with work by Shaked and Sutton (1986 and 1987), Sutton (1991 and 1998) on endogenous vertical differentiation and persistent market concentration.skiing, service quality, capacity, pricing

An improved algorithm for evaluating trellis phase codes

A method is described for evaluating the minimum distance parameters of trellis phase codes, including CPFSK, partial response FM, and more importantly, coded CPM (continuous phase modulation) schemes. The algorithm provides dramatically faster execution times and lesser memory requirements than previous algorithms. Results of sample calculations and timing comparisons are included

"Government Intervention to Prevent Bankruptcy: The Effect of Blind-Bidding Laws on Movie Theaters"

In the 1970s motion picture studios used blind bidding and non-refundable guarantees to reduce the risks of producing large budget films. However, theater owners claimed that blind bidding and guarantees shifted the risk to them and increased the likelihood of bankruptcy. In response to lobbying by theater owners, twenty-four states passed laws banning blind bidding between 1978 and 1984, while seven states also banned non-refundable guarantees. We find that the laws were not only ineffective in keeping theater owners from exiting the market; they may have been detrimental to theater owners converting to multiplexes at that time.bankruptcy, blind bidding, vertical contractual relationships, government intervention.

"Government Intervention to Prevent Bankruptcy: the Effect of Blind-Bidding Laws on Movie Theaters"

In the 1970s motion picture studios increased their use of blind bidding and non-refundable guarantees in an attempt to reduce the risks associated with producing a small number of large budget films. However, theater owners claimed that blind bidding and guarantees shifted risk to them and increased the likelihood of bankruptcy, since they were required to bid for the right to exhibit a movie without seeing it first. In response to the lobbying of theater owners, twenty-four states passed laws between 1978 and 1984 that banned blind bidding, while seven states also banned non-refundable guarantees. This paper provides the first empirical analysis of the conflicting claims made by theater owners and movie studios about the impact of these laws on the survival rates of independent theaters, admission prices, and delays in the release of movies. We find that the laws were not only ineffective in keeping theater owners at risk of bankruptcy from exiting the market; they may have been even detrimental to those theater owners converting theaters to multiplexes at that time.blind-bidding, motion picture industry, vertical restriction, state intervention

"Capital Intensity and U.S. Country Population Growth during the Late Nineteenth Century"

The United States witnessed substantial growth in manufacturing and urban populations during the last half of the nineteenth century. To date, no convincing evidence has been presented to explain the shift in population to urban areas. We find evidence that capital intensity, particularly new capital in the form of steam horsepower, played a significant role in drawing labor into counties and by inference into urban areas. This provides support for the hypothesis that the locational decisions of manufacturers and their placement of capital in urban areas fueled urban growth in the nineteenth century.urbanization, capital intensity, regional population growth, technological change

Analysis of Algorithms for Velocity Estimation from Discrete Position Versus Time Data

Algorithms for constructing velocity approximations from discrete position versus time data are investigated. The study is limited to algorithms suitable to provide velocity information in discrete-time feedback control systems such as microprocessor-based systems with a discrete position encoder. Velocity estimators based on lines per period, reciprocal-time, Taylor series expansion, backward difference expansions, and least-square curve fits are presented. Based on computer simulations, comparisons of relative accuracies of the different algorithms are made. The least-squares velocity estimators filtered the effect of imperfect measurements best, whereas the Taylor series expansions and backward difference equation estimators respond better to velocity transients